Cheerleading coach's shooting death remains a mystery

By all accounts, Yaxsa Herrera was a happy 22-year-old woman, working in a supermarket bakery, coaching cheerleaders and going to college.

"She was a girl with a golden heart," said Claudia Figueroa, president of the Tri-City Falcons, a Harbor Area cheerleading club. "She affected many individuals' lives in a positive, friendly way."

Herrera's death May 4 shocked those who knew her. She was discovered shot to death, lying on the sidewalk at 255th Street and Marigold Avenue near her Harbor City home about 3 a.m.

Some friends believe the Narbonne High School graduate was murdered. Although police reported Herrera's death to the coroner's office as a result of a gunshot wound, medical examiners have not issued a cause of death or, more importantly, the manner.

Officially, Herrera's cause of death is listed as "deferred." Coroner's officials have not determined whether Herrera was a victim of a homicide, if she committed suicide or died accidentally.

Los Angeles police homicide detectives at the Harbor Division are investigating the death, but have not classified it as a murder and declined to talk about their findings.

Since Herrera died, friends have held a car wash that raised $8,000 for her family. About 150 people attended a candlelight vigil in her memory.

Another car wash and bake sale was held Saturday in Torrance.

In addition, the Tri-City Falcon football and cheerleading program has announced it will dedicate its 2012 season to Herrera and present the "Yaxza Herrera Award" at the conclusion of its season to the cheerleader or volunteer that "embodies and exemplifies Yaxza's positive ways," according to the Tri-City Falcon website.

Jackie Lopez, the cheerleading coach at Narbonne High School, said her squad also will dedicate its season to Herrera.

"Perfect girl. Always a smile on her face," Lopez said. "I guarantee you it's not a suicide. She was too full of life for that."

Friends suspect Herrera died on her way to work at the Vons supermarket at Crenshaw and Lomita boulevards.

"We want to know what happened," said another member of the cheerleading club who asked to remain anonymous. "I haven't spoken to one person who believes it's a suicide. She was a smiling, happy girl with a whole life ahead of her."

Danielle Nicole wrote on her Internet blog that she considered Herrera the the most popular girl she knew at Narbonne. Herrera was a member of the class of 2008.

"She was kind to all of them," Nicole wrote. "She was the ideal cheerleader, she was involved in school activities, she was everyone's friend. I often wondered how she could handle it all, but she did it with ease, she did it with a smile, always, that famous Yaxza smile."

Figueroa said Herrera attended classes at Harbor College in Wilmington, worked her bakery job - and a previous job at the defunct National Sports Grill - and spent hours coaching 5- to 14-year-old girls in the cheerleading program she had enjoyed as a youngster.

Figueroa called Herrera a "big sister to a lot of the cheerleaders she trained."

"She had a lot on her plate," Figueroa said. "It was all for everything she loved. She loved Tri-City. She loved cheerleading. She loved her family."

Herrera, who is survived by her parents and sister, enjoyed oldies music, and was friends with rappers DJ Quik and Sugar Free.

She otherwise kept her personal life private.

Friends cannot believe the possibility of suicide.

"We feel she was murdered," Figueroa said. "She loved life and she wouldn't have done that to herself. What we all want is closure as far as making sure (that someone) is caught. We want justice."